Noodles can be divided into sliced noodles, fresh noodles, dried noodles, and so on based on the different production processes. In hand rolled noodles, which are a type of fresh noodles, flour proteins are utilized to generate a great amount of gluten, which is distributed evenly in the noodles during the unique kneading and rolling process thereof. Gluten is composed of gliadin and glutenin. Since gluten has great extensibility and flexibility, the chewiness and taste of hand rolled noodles are better than other noodles. In prior art, due to the restrictions of the noodle producing processes and techniques, noodle producing machines fail to produce noodles with chewiness and texture equivalent to hand-rolled noodles.
Currently, the noodle producing machine commercially widely used produces noodles mostly through a pressing technique. It usually presses a flour-water mixture into a round disk shape first, then press the mixture into a sheet shape repeatedly, and finally slices the mixture into noodles with a blade, which is sliced noodles in daily life. Due to the lack of gluten proteins, sliced noodles are not chewy, have a hard texture, and taste significantly worse than hand rolled noodles.
Further, in the noodle pressing process, the process of repeatedly pressing and the process of slicing are conducted separately. In the noodle pressing process and storing process, it is required to scatter and put dry flour on noodles to prevent them from sticking together. During the cooking process, because the noodles are coated with the dry flour, the dry flour falls into the cooking pot with the noodles, making water sticky after the boiling water is repeatedly used, and affecting the quality of the cooked noodles. Therefore, when the pressed noodles are cooked on a large scale, it is required to replace the water in the cooking pot frequently, which is a great waste of flour, water, and energy.
In order to produce noodles with the chewiness and taste equivalent to or even better than hand rolled noodles through machines, the inventor made an effort to study the principles of hand rolled noodles as well as the functions and coordination of the various internal structures of noodle forming mechanisms. As a specific manifestation of the research results, the present invention provides a new type of a noodle forming mechanism.